The invention relates to a connector for fitting onto a counter connector, with a core portion having contact means for inserting into a sleeve of the counter connector, which sleeve is provided with a latching step and has counter contact means, the core portion being surrounded at a radial spacing by a collar, which has a latching bead for engaging over the latching step, which collar is surrounded in turn by a locking coupling, which in a release position allows slight radial displacement of the latching bead and in a locking position blocks the radial displacement.
DE 102 35 675 is concerned with a connector of this type with a snap collar. The connector serves for fitting onto a counter connector, the sleeve of which may have an external thread. The edge of the sleeve of the counter connector is provided with a peripheral step. To the rear of the step there is a groove. The latching bead of the collar can snap into this groove. For this purpose, the latching bead or the collar carrying the latching bead is made of soft plastic, so that the annular latching bead can be pushed over the latching step with concomitant elastic expansion. In order to fix the latching bead in this latching position, the locking coupling arranged displaceably on the connector has a radially inwardly directed step in the form of an annular projection. In the locking position, this step lies outwardly over the latching bead, so that its ability to escape radially is blocked. In the release position, the step is set back axially, so that radially outward of the latching bead there comes to lie a clearance into which the portion of the sleeve having the latching bead can radially escape. As a consequence of this setup, the pulling-off forces are significantly greater in the locking position than in the release position.